


come on and fuck this whole wide world

by problematic_pleasures



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, angsty, semi-au, tender cegan feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 12:30:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8845093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/problematic_pleasures/pseuds/problematic_pleasures
Summary: Negan is protective. Rick finds out. Carl walks away.





	

**Author's Note:**

> written partially to fill these two prompts i rec'd:  
>  _\--Can you write somthng like Negan being overprotective. Like he's in Alexandria & somone touched Carl he practically lost his mind shouting in front of Rick & everyone "don't touch him(my boy)" something like that... Rick lost too cuz "what!" thanks _
> 
> _\--You should totally do one where Rick finds out about them. Like he can find out any way you want I'd just love to see his reaction._
> 
> rly enjoyed writing this, i hope you guys like it!

It’s all a blur; by the time Carl can think clearly again, he’s strapped into the supply truck next to Negan, Alexandria in the rearview mirrors.

 

 

 

Carl watches carefully as a handful of Saviors load more items into the supply truck. None of them are a toe out of line, each obedient and almost freakishly silent. They look back at him occasionally, a variety of expressions on display: some resigned, some displeased, some outright angry. None of them say anything, though, they just continue to trudge along. Carl wants to look away, especially as he hears Negan’s voice getting closer, but he doesn’t. He just _knows_ one of the Saviors is itching for a break, though Carl can’t say what they’d do given the chance.

Probably deck someone, like Aaron standing off to the side looking rightfully smug. Or maybe they’d gun down Rosita, still proudly displaying the faint scar of her cheek. Hell, one of the Saviors might even try to take out Carl—he wouldn’t necessarily blame them.

He’s become something akin to Negan’s right-hand-man. He’s allowed to make decisions, whenever Negan decides the situation isn’t worth his own time. He’s allowed to punish people, again when Negan doesn’t feel like stepping up to the plate. Sometimes Negan will defer to Carl, delighted when Carl is as ruthless as possible in return. The Saviors don’t take as much from Alexandria, now, because Negan won’t let them—because Carl doesn’t want them to. Less people get hurt, or killed.

Carl shivers. He’s got so much power in the palm of his hand that it’s dizzying, sometimes. So much power in return for what can seem like so little, at times. It’s not precisely a hardship to give his body to Negan, not when the older man worships his body sometimes. Not a steep price to pay when Negan kisses him like a man dying of thirst and Carl is an oasis. The kissing is nice; Carl can even admit the sex is pretty damn great.

It makes him feel dirty, filthy, but oh so _good_ , too. Makes him nauseous to think of what his dad would say, but proud to know he’s got this hold over Negan. He’s still coming to terms with the deal, but the results are too good to pass up.

Besides, as far as Rick knows, Carl has only agreed to be Negan’s protégé, nothing more or less.

 

 

“Hey!”

Negan’s voice draws Carl out of the reverie he had allowed himself lull into. He startles, blinks, awareness returning just in time to see Negan towering over a struggling Savior. Lucille is drawn like a sword, hovering at the Savior’s neck, Negan absolutely seething.

“What the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing?” Negan hisses.

The Savior pales under Negan’s scrutiny. He holds up his hands defensively and Carl can see him shaking. Words start to stumble from the man’s mouth, but Carl can already tell Negan isn’t listening.

He hurries closer just in time to see Negan reach for the gun at his side.

“Negan, wait,” he calls out.

Negan looks to Carl in surprise. Lips pursed and eyebrows drawn together unhappily, he jerks his head to the man on the ground. “He was tryin’ to charge you while you were distracted, kid.”

Carl looks down and doesn’t miss the glint of hatred in the man’s eyes. He feels a little unsettled knowing that he was moments away from possible death, but he doesn’t nod.

“I was distracted, I should’ve been paying better attention.”

Negan shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter, don’t give a fuck. You could have your head in the fuckin’ clouds, ain’t _none_ of them supposed to come after you.” Negan’s nostrils flare and he has the same crazed look in his eye as when Rosita shot Lucille.

Carl sighs, then shrugs. “Alright, fine.” He gestures to the man. “Get it over with.” He doesn’t spare a thought to the surprised look his dad shoots him.

Negan grins, just as deranged. “Thanks, darlin’,” he teases. He passes Lucille to Carl to hold, then cocks the gun. He aims the pistol again and fires without any more hesitation.

Carl catches his father eyes, shrugs when Rick mouths _‘darling?’_ with a confused twist of his lips. None of them flinch when the gunshot rings out, nor when two more go off to satisfy Negan’s bloodlust. Carl exhales slowly once it’s over, once Negan has backed away from the corpse. He slings the gun again, and waves off Carl’s offer to hand Lucille back.

“Hey,” Negan shouts again as he waves a few other Saviors over. “Clean this shit up.” Once the man’s corpse is being dragged away, Negan motions for Rick and Carl to follow. He doesn’t resume whatever conversation it was he’d been having before the near-attack on Carl, and Rick looks even more lost because of that. Instead, Negan turns all his attention to Carl while they walk.

“What?” Carl snaps under the heated stare.

“You really think I should’a let him live?” Negan asks.

Carl shrugs. “I don’t really care.”

“You know I can’t have anyone hurtin’ what’s mine.”

A blush bleeds across Carl’s skin, down his neck until it’s hidden by his shirt. “Negan,” he warns.

“No, no, I don’t think you get it, kid.” Negan stops walking and claps both hands onto Carl’s shoulders. “You are _mine_ , god dammit, and not a single fuckin’ person is to lay a finger on you.” Negan bends enough to look Carl square in the eye. “That’s what we agreed to, that’s what you _wanted_ , isn’t it?”

Carl stiffens, but nods. “Yes,” he replies quietly.

Negan’s glare softens. “S’what I wanted too,” he says in return. “And that’s why I am goin’ to make _damn_ fucking sure no one does anything as stupid as that again.” Negan takes Carl gently by the chin, thumb stroking over the delicate skin in an easy rhythm. “Do I make myself clear?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, instead leaning in to kiss Carl sweetly and chaste on the lips.

He pulls back just as fast and resumes leading Rick and Carl toward the truck.

Carl’s whole body is burning and he can’t bring himself to look at his dad.

“Carl,” Rick whispers, only for Negan to stop again.

“Ah, ah, ah,” he scolds. “None of that, if you got somethin’ to say you can say it nice n’loud so we all can hear.” Negan gestures all around them, where Saviors and Alexandrians alike have stopped to stare.

Rick doesn’t argue. He speaks up in a tone that’s sharp with anger and disbelief. “Carl, what was that?” He gestures to where they stood a few paces ago.

First, Carl opens his mouth to say _nothing, dad, god_ or something equally childish. But a quick glance at Negan makes him rethink the words. He can’t deny this, not in front of Negan who’d see it as a sign of betrayal, who’d see it as a reason to go back on their deal. He doesn’t _want_ to confirm it, not to his dad’s face, but he doesn’t really have a choice, now.

“It’s the deal we made.” Carl announces the words while raising his head, hair falling back to expose his face. He tilts his chin up in defiance though his lips quiver in fear. “It’s what’s keeping you guys alive and keeping them from taking _all_ of our shit.”

Rick doesn’t even comment on his language, something Carl always found laughable but practically wishes for now. Rick’s whole body goes tense, his voice ice old. “What? _What_?”

Negan steps in now, which Carl knows can only probably make things worse. “Do we gotta have a talk ‘bout the birds and the bees, Rick?” His taunt only serves to worsen Carl’s blush and Rick’s rage. “I mean, you did manage to have a couple o’kids, so I would’ve thought you’d be a bit more _informed_ , but I’m not one to judge—!”

Carl barely steps in front of Negan in time to stop his dad from doing something dangerously stupid. “Dad,” Carl pleads, hands out and pressed against his father’s chest. “Don’t.”

Rick pauses but his anger doesn’t cease. “Carl, this isn’t right.”

A mirthless laugh bursts from Carl’s lips. “Are you kidding me?” He looks at his father incredulously. Another laugh turns into a stream of hysteric, pathetic, wet sounds. “Are you _fucking_ kidding me? Right doesn’t mean _shit_ now.” He shoves his dad back. “ _Right_ hasn’t meant anything for years.” Carl runs his hands through his hair, distressed, calming only a fraction when he feels Negan’s hand rest at the small of his back.

“Carl.” There’s no apology in Rick’s voice, though. Only the same mixture of shock and rage.

He raises a hand to silence his dad. “It’s—it’s fine.” Carl swallows his tears. “I’m,” he gulps and looks at Negan instead. “I’m going to grab some stuff from my room, I’ll be right back.”

He doesn’t meet his dad’s eyes as he passes; when he comes back, two bags slung over each shoulder, Rick makes no attempt to stop him. Negan helps him toss his bags in the back, even helps him clamber into the cab though he could do it on his own. He lets himself lean on Negan, lets Negan take his weight for now.

Carl sits in the center seat, driver to his left and Negan on his right. As the truck roars life Carl spares one last look out the side window. He watches the other Alexandrians talk amongst themselves; all of them are shifting uneasily. He watches Michonne approach Rick with a curious glance at the truck. He watches his dad look anywhere but _at_ him.

Eventually, Negan pushes Carl to sit back, and they pull away from the compound he’s called home for so long now. Negan slings an arm across Carl’s shoulders and pulls him tight against his side.

“Fuck him, kid,” Negan murmurs. “Fuck him and the high horse he thinks he rode in on.”

Carl shrugs again. He does tuck his head against Negan’s shoulder, though, in a rare display of vulnerability.

Negan sighs. “Sorry, kid.”

Carl shakes his head. “I knew… I figured it would happen. Just didn’t think… Didn’t want that.” He’s suddenly exhausted, bone-deep and aching. He closes his good eye and tries to calm his racing heart.

“Yeah,” Negan exhales; he starts to comb his hands through Carl’s hair until the boy relaxes against him. “Fuck him,” he says again, pleased when it rouses a damp chuckle from his lover.

“Wake me when we get back?” Carl requests quietly.

Negan nods again. “You got it.”

Carl falls asleep to the feeling of thick fingers in his hair and the rumble of the truck around him. He falls asleep with phantom pain pounding in his right eye, and heart heavy in his chest. He falls asleep wondering where things go from here, now that all he has left is Negan.

 

 

The thought—the _fact_ —doesn’t scare him as much as he expected.  


End file.
